Colombia
Certification is a fundamental tool for the development of activities such as: control of national and imported products for which there is a mandatory technical standard or technical regulation; quality verification of inputs, materials and products that are acquired by state entities; creation of confidence and assurance of quality under the voluntary framework of the contractual client-supplier relation.
Certifications may be issued under the following modalities:
- certification of conformity of products: test of type, test of lots, test of 100%;
- certification of conformity of quality systems;
- certification of personnel.
Provisions for the evaluation of conformity are established in Decree 2269 of 1993 which creates the National System for Standardization, Certification, and Metrology; the Resolution 140 of 1994 of the Superintendency of Industry and Commerce; Decree 300 of 1995; and Resolution 343 of 1995.
Decree 2269 determines that when a mandatory technical standard or a technical regulation exists. It must be shown that its specifications are observed through a certificate of conformity issued by an accredited body, regulated by Decree 300 of 1995 and/or Resolution 343 of 1995 of the Superintendency of Industry and Commerce.
In the case of goods and services that are not subject to mandatory technical standards or technical regulations, certification may be required by the purchasers of the goods and services, which should be issued by an accredited body.
The following types of certificate of conformity may be issued:
a- Certificates issued in Colombia by a duly accredited entity;
b- Certificates issued by a recognized certification entity, i.e. one accredited in another country and that has been recognized by Colombia by agreement or convention;
c- Certificates issued in countries with which mutual recognition agreements are not in place. In these cases the exporter must obtain the certificate of conformity at one of the entities recognized or accredited in the country of origin or purchase of the merchandise, and must meet the requirements of the Colombian technical standard. This document may be validated in Colombia by an accredited agency.
The following participate in the certification process:
- the Superintendency of Industry and Commerce;
- the Advisor for Accreditation;
- the duly accredited certification and inspection entities;
- the duly accredited testing and metrology laboratories;
- other governmental authorities as provided for in the law on accreditation and certification functions.
At the present the following are part of the National Certification System:
** The Colombian Technical Standards Institute (ICONTEC), which is accredited to certify industrial products and quality systems through Resolution 2330 of 1/November/1994.
The modalities of certification issued by ICONTEC are: certification of lots; certification of samples; ICONTEC's seal of conformity with the Colombian Technical Standard (seal of quality); certification of declared quality given to products which are elaborated in conformity with international technical standards; ICONTEC certificate of quality assurance based on the standards of the ISO 9000 series. In Colombia, ICONTEC is the center of inspection of the Underwrites Laboratories Inc., acting as its agent through a program called ICAM.
As a private entity, ICONTEC has signed Memoranda of Understanding with entities such as SQS of Switzerland, QMI of Canada, AFAQ Inc. of France and DQS of Germany. It was accredited as well by TGA to certify quality systems.
** The Corporación Colombia Internacional, which is accredited to certify organic fruits, vegetables, and agricultural food products through Resolution 0561 of 23/March/1994.
**The telecommunications research center (CINTEL), accredited through resolution 1693 of 14/November/1995, certifies conformity as to products for the telecommunications sector, by lot and type.
In the case of imported fuel, the certifications of product quality issued by inspection agencies that verify the specifications both at the port of shipment and upon unloading at port in Colombia are accepted.
The main regulations related to agricultural food products have to do with fertilizer, pesticides, and seeds.
The Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) directly checks the conformity of these products through analysis in its laboratories.
In terms of pharmaceutical and food products, national regulations refer to specifications as to composition, banned substances, and consumer information. The national standards are similar to the international ones (Codex Alimentarius).
These products can be certified through the health register. In the case of imported goods, the certification may be issued in the country of origin of the products and then validated by the Ministry of Health.